Closure device for vertically acting doors



Sept 1942- H. c. BLODGETT 2,294,361

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR VERTICALLY ACTING DOORS Filed April 22, 1940 INVENTOR. HERBERT CADY BLODGETT ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1942 CLOSURE DEVICE FOR VERTICALLY ACTING DOORS Herbert Cady Blodgett, Hartford City, Ind., as-

signor to Overhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, Ind.

Application April 22, 1940, Serial No. 330,939

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in closure devices for vertically acting doors.

The main objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a device adapted to be associated with a vertically acting articulated door for opening or closing the top section thereof in the same or less space than that required by any other section.

Second, to provide a closure device of the type described adapted to close and open the top section of the door without impact and which reduces the vertical space required for the opening and closing of the door.

Third, to provide a device of the type described in the form of a small inexpensive fixture which can be attached by an installation crew on the door on a particular job where conditions such as the presence of pipes, air ducts, and the like prevent the installation of conventional top closure means.

Fourth, to provide an inexpensive device of the type described for making possible low head room in a door structure of the vertically acting articulated type without basic change in the guide tracks therefor.

Fifth, to provide a closure device of the type described capable of being substituted for the conventional top fixture which will enable the top section to be turned in less space than that required by the conventional fixture.

Further objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on line II of Fig. 3, illustrating a vertically acting articulated door with the invention embodied therein or operatively associated there-- with, the door being shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the door in one position by full lines and in closed and intermediate positions by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the door and guide means viewed from the rear or inside of the door.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view illustrating a fixture constituting a part of my invention.

In certain vertically acting articulated doors, including a plurality of articulated sections I articulated at hinges 2 and guided by rollers 3 at the points of hinging articulation, which rollers travel in vertical and horizontal tracks 4, 5, re-

spectively, connected by curved track portions 1 6, it is customary to employ a further guide roller and bracket therefor such as I have illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The roller indicated by the reference numeral 1 guides the top door section 8 and assures its positive opening and closing with relation to the door opening and header 9 thereof. A structure of this type is illustrated in the patent to Johnson 1,820,195 of August 19, 1931. This roller 1 is ordinarily mounted on a bracket or fixture Iii.

From an inspection of Fig, 1 it will be apparent that using a fixture of the type described for the top section, the top section travels upwardly and swings arcuately at a considerable distance above the plane of the horizontal track 5 in its opening and closing movements. When employed, the fixture Iii is usually positioned adjacent the upper end of top section 8, though the distance sometimes varies due to several causes. Hence, it will be appreciated that in such an installation the horizontal and curved track portions, which are indicated in dotted line in Fig. 1, extend upwardly a substantial distance above the door opening. Moreover, the turning of the top section with such a fixture requires considerable additional clearance above the top of the horizontal track for its movement.

It frequently happens that due to the presence of pipes, air ducts, and the like which may not have been installed or foreseen or taken into consideration when door and head room measurements were taken there is not the vertical clearance required for the elevated positioning of the horizontal tracks and the swinging of the top section when the door is provided with a guide fixture I0. My invention may be used successfully under such condition. The structure is simple and inexpensive and may be installed on the job. My present structure, in addition, has provision for assuring a cushioned opening and closing action for the top section so as to avoid impacts or jars, while at the same time effecting a secure closure of the top section and a ready displacement thereof from closed position when desired. Notwithstanding all this, the device requires a fraction of the head room previously found necessary.

Referring to the drawing, the device of my invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral II and includes a bracket or fixture I2 having a portion I3 adapted to be bolted at I4 to the side of the door. The bracket has a side wing portion I5 extending rearwardly and normal to the door to which is pivoted an upwardly extending guide arm I6. This arm at its free end is provided with a guide roller II traveling in the horizontal track 5 and curved track portion 6, the arm being received in a rearwardly extending slot I8 in the fixture (see Fig. 3) formed by the rearward offsetting of the upper portion I9 of the attaching flange l3 in laterally spaced relation to wing I5 to thereby guide the arm in its front to rear oscillating movement and prevent twistingv of the arm when the door is in open position.

There are a, plurality of vertically spaced holes formed in the rearwardly extending wing I5 of the bracket for pivotally receiving arm l6 and enabling the vertical position of the roller thereon to be adjusted with reference to the top of the top door section 8 (see Fig. 1)

The rear surface or edge of the wing portion l5 has the form of a curved cam 2| which slidingly coacts with a fixed pin-like abutment 22 secured to the vertical track 4. This abutment pin is preferably formed as a part of a separate fixture 23 adapted to be bolted to the track in installing. The pin extends laterally behind the fixture l2 for engagement by the cam surface thereof.

For yieldingly maintaining the cam surface 2| against the abutment pin 22, I employ a spring arm 24 which is fixedly secured to the fixture wing portion I5 by the posts 25 (see Fig. 4) and which extends upwardly and terminates in a hook-like seat 2|; engageable with the rear edge of the pivoted arm IE to urge the same in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. This keeps the bracket firmly against the pin 22 in both directions of movement of the door. Thus, as the door is opened upwardly, the cam or actuating surface 2| slides over the pin in that direction permitting spring arm 24 to draw the topmost section rearwardly and keeping this section movingrearwardly as the door is' raised. The top section is permitted to come to rest on an offset 26| in arm I6 following complete swinging of the section without a slam or jar and is, in its rearward travel on the horizontal track, supported by this offset and the roller I! on the end of the arm.

In closing the door, the above operation is reversed. As the cam surface 2| engages pin 22 and travels over the same, the top section 8 is forced forward into engagement with the header 9, but the spring 24 engaging arm I6 prevents undue slamming upon this engagement.

That substantial head room is saved by an installation of the type described is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein I have shown successive positions in the opening movement of the top section in dotted lines, the practically fully retracted position being illustrated in solid lines. It is very evident that the vertical space for swinging is greatly reduced beyond that which would be required were a conventional fixture l0 employed.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which is very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate and describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

. 1. In a vertically acting door including a plurality of articulated sections and guide means traveling in tracks disposed adjacent a door opening, means for closing the topmost section in relation to a door opening when the door is in closed position and for decreasing the vertical space required for swinging of said topmost section upon raising and'lowering of the door, comprising a plate attached to said topmost section in substantially spaced relation to the top thereof, a fixed pin secured to one of said tracks and extending behind said plate, said plate having a cam surface engageable with said pin to urge the topmost section forwardly to closing relation to the door opening, an arm pivoted on said plate and havin a roller at the free end thereof traveling in one of said tracks, and a spring secured to said plate and engaging said arm to urge the plate in a direction for resiliently maintaining engagement of said surface with said pin to thereby draw said section away from the door opening when said surface passes over the pin on upward movement of the door.

2. In a vertically acting door including a plurality of articulated sections and guide means traveling in tracks disposed adjacent a door opening, means for closing the topmost section in relation to a door opening when the door is in closed position and for decreasing the vertical space required for swinging of said topmost section upon raising and lowering of the door, comprising a fixed abutment member, a plate on the topmost section substantially spaced below the top thereof having a cam surface engageable with said member to urge the topmost section forwardly to closing relation to the door opening, an arm pivoted on said topmost section and having a roller at the free end thereof traveling in one of said tracks, and a spring secured to said plate and engaging said arm to urge the plate in a direction for resiliently maintaining engagement of said surface with said abutment member to thereby draw said section away from the door opening when said surface passes over the member on upward movement of door.

3. In a vertically sliding door structure, the combination with a door jamb, of a track comprising a vertical portion, a horizontal portion, and a curved intermediate portion, a, horizontally articulated sectional door provided with guide rollers adjacent the articulation joints, said door including an upper section swingable on its articulated joint to and from the door jamb, a bracket having a downwardly and forwardly inclined rearwardly facing cam mounted upon the upper door section in substantially spaced position below the top thereof, an abutment on the track with which said cam engages when the door is moved to closed position for moving the top section against the jamb, an upwardly projecting arm pivoted on said bracket and provided with a track engaging guide at its outer end, said top section being supported by said arm when the top section is in collapsed position, and a spring carried by said bracket and acting on said arm between its pivot and its said track engaging guide.

4. In a vertcally sliding door structure, the

combination with a door jamb, of a track comprising a vertical portion, a horizontal portion, and a curved intermediate portion, a horizontally articulated sectional door provided with guide rollers adjacent the articulation joints, said door including an upper section swingable on its articulated joint to and from the door jamb, a bracket having an integral downwardly and forwardly inclined rearwardly facing cam mounted upon the upper door section in substantially spaced position below the top thereof, an abutment on the track with which said cam engages when the'door is moved to closed position for moving the top section against the jamb, an upwardly projecting arm pivoted on said bracket and provided with a track engaging guide at its outer end, and means coacting with said bracket and arm to resiliently bias the latter whereby to maintain said cam against the abutment and prevent slamming of the upper section in closing, said top section being supported by said arm when the top section is in collapsed position.

HERBERT CADY BLODGETT. 

